Known protective lens covers configured for use on various types of sighting devices generally fall into one of three general types. A first one of these types corresponds to an unattached or tethered lens cover, which is pressed into place (e.g., similar to placing a plastic lid on a plastic food container). A second one of these types corresponds to a hinged flip-open cover, which can be spring-loaded so as to have the torsion spring finish opening the lens cover once the user's finger disengages the lens cover from the retaining ring or latch, which was holding it closed. A flip-open style protective cover can have a single pivot axis that extends generally perpendicular or parallel to a centerline reference axis (e.g., a centerline of a firearm bore). A flip-open style protective cover can also have a dual pivot axis arrangement that allows rotation and/or pivoting of the protective lens cover. A third one of these types corresponds to a rubber “bikini” style or double bungee cord style in which the lens cover is held in place by the tension of the elastic cords compressing the lens cover onto the sighting device. Examples of such sighting devices include, but are not limited to, optical, targeting, or sighting devices such as night vision scopes, flash lights, tactical lights, filter mounts for optical sights, holographic sighting devices, laser firearm sights, laser pointers, unmagnified optical sighting devices, monocular rifle scopes, magnifying adapters for unmagnified firearm scopes, binoculars, radar or laser speed measuring devices, camera lenses, telescopes, spotting scopes, land surveying devices, optical or laser distance measuring devices, and any other device which has a lens, opening, or viewing window in need of a protective lens cover. It should be understood that a lens cover is sometimes also be referred to as a lens cap.
With respect to one specific application for protective lens covers, a need has developed in recent years for placing two sighting devices (e.g., sighting scopes) on a firearm (e.g., a rifle) in very close proximity to each other. Unattached covers are inconvenient because they need to be stowed when the device is being used, and they are easily misplaced. Unattached covers may also be unsafe as a result of diverting the user's attention when the lens cover is dropped or when the user is stowing the lens cover. Tethered lens covers are unsafe because the line attached to the lens cover may become snagged. A tethered cover may also create an unsafe situation when the loose cover is flopping around and inadvertently obscures the user's vision. Bikini style or bungee style covers suffer from the problem of having the lens covers flopping around loose once they are removed from the scope such that they can then get snagged, get in the user's way, create a distraction, or require some type of manual stowage to get them out of the way. Rubber bikini style covers often require some arranging in order to get them seated into the correct cover position, and they sometimes actively or passively scratch or smudge the lenses they are intended to protect. Flip-open style covers having a single pivot axis that extends generally perpendicular to the centerline axis of a firearm bore generally cannot be used, as their pivot actions require the adjacent sighting devices to be undesirably spaced apart. In the case of flip-open style covers having a single pivot axis that extends generally parallel to the centerline axis of a firearm bore, when the lens cover is moved to an open position (i.e., position allowing viewing through the sighting device(s), the lens cover sticks out in the way of the user's vision along the side of the sighting device or sticks out in a manner where it is easily snagged and/or damaged. In other words, with currently configured hinged (i.e., pivotable) lens covers, if the user is viewing through the sighting device (with the lens cover open), and then moves their eye to the side of the axis of view through the device (so as to be able to look past the sighting device rather than through it), a currently configured lens cover can often obstruct their view.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,854, Steiner discloses a protective lens cover for a pair of binoculars or a telescope. The protective lens cover is articulated to the front of the lens and is characterized in that a pivot joint arrangement is formed between an edge of the lens and the protective lens cover, in use having a substantially horizontal pivot axis and a substantially vertical pivot axis. However, the protective lens cover of Steiner does not provide for self-articulation and is not spring-biased. As such, and in view of the specific configuration of the protective cap of Steiner, at least three separate manual manipulations are required for moving the protective lens cover between a closed position and an open/stowed position are required and at least three separate manual manipulations are required for moving the protective lens cover between the closed position and the open/stowed position. For any number of reasons, these required manual manipulations are shortcomings that make the protective lens cover of Steiner undesirable in many applications (e.g., law enforcement, military, and the like).
Another limitation of Steiner relates to two sighting devices that are mounted in close end-to-end proximity. Steiner discloses that opening his lens cover entails pivoting the lens cover 180-degrees about a hinge pivot axis from a lens covering position to a first displace position, then rotating the lens cover 180-degrees about an axial rotation axis, and then pivoting the lens cover an additional 90-degrees about the hinge pivot axis to its fully stowed position. This stated manipulation of the lens cover precludes use of a lens cover in accordance with Steiner in a position between two sighting devices that are mounted in close end-to-end proximity.
Therefore, a lens cover apparatus that overcomes drawbacks associated with prior art lens cover apparatuses would be advantageous, desirable and useful.